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Liaison Newsletter > LIAISON-Canada Electronic Newsletter #4

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From words to action: UN Human Rights Declaration turns 50

The Canadian government should play a prominent role in commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Chair of UNA-Canada’s Standing Committee on Human Rights told parliamentarians in mid-June.

Reporting on a national series of consultations undertaken by UNA-Canada over the last few months, the Hon. Walter McLean told the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade that the consultations revealed a significant level of interest across Canada in a substantive commemoration of the anniversary. Having determined that the interest is there, McLean said the key now “is to convert political interest into political will.”

As a contribution to that process, McLean presented the Government with a series of recommendations designed to facilitate both national and international activities to mark the year, which will run from December 10, 1997 to December 10, 1998. Among them:

  • that a national committee to help coordinate and promote anniversary activities be established;
  • that the government provide matching funding to provinces or private sector organizations raising money in support of anniversary activities;
  • that a national conference of Ministers responsible for human rights be convened to discuss both plans for the anniversary year and the status of human rights in Canada;
  • that an interim Canadian Special Ambassador to the UN and to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights be appointed to assist with UN activities around the anniversary year;
  • that Canada convene, in collaboration with the UN, a special meeting of human rights experts to consider strategies to promote universal respect for human rights.

Over the course of five weeks, UNA-Canada’s national series of consultations covered 15 Canadian cities in all 10 provinces. Over 30 ministers and parliamentarians, including the Premier of Manitoba, were consulted, along with all national and provincial human rights commissions and over 250 non-governmental organizations.